Christmas Eater
by NucleicMonologue
Summary: Death City and the Death Weapon Meister Academy get geared for Christmas.
1. Death City

"_Welcome to Death Weapon Meister Academy, more commonly known as the DWMA. It stands against the forces of evil, which would plunge the world into chaos and drag humanity to the very depths of fear and madness - the demons known as Kishin, and their insatiable hunger for destruction. To ensure the Kishin never regain their hold on this world, this academy was founded by the Grim Reaper, Death himself."_

For such a serious organisation, you'd never expect to walk up that long flight of steps only to be hit in the face by a dazzling display of lights, or to look back down and see the city twinkling with multi-coloured celebrations.

Christmas was on its way, and Death City was filled with stalls lining the streets, crowds so thick that if you stood in the middle of the path you couldn't even see the market vendors to either side. The smell of food was overwhelming, as if the festivities would seep into the pavement and buildings permanently.

Death Weapon Meister Academy was preparing for its own celebrations, along with the victory of defeating the Kishin the previous year. Students were decking the halls with boughs of holly, and the occasional mistletoe here and there. But there was one particular student, who upon arriving at the top step stared with dismay.


	2. Asymmetrical

"It's so _asymmetrical!_" He screamed to his weapon partners. His hands visibly twitched, as if wanting to tear down the Christmas lights hanging from the massive candles of the DWMA.

"It's nearly Christmas Kid, give it a break!" Liz snapped.

"Pretty lights!" Patty screamed excitedly. She jumped up and down in one spot, her bosom bouncing along with her.

Liz rolled her eyes, obviously envious of her sister's advantage in chest size.

"T-they're so carelessly placed! I _must_ fix them!" Kid said determinedly, darting off with surprising speed.

"Ooh look, they even change colours!" Patty squealed, jumping even faster.

Kid froze, falling flat on his face. He looked up at the lights, jumping between colours randomly. He screamed loudly, beating at the pavement with his fists.

"Look what you did now, Patty." Liz muttered sourly, trotting over to him. "Now Kid, that's the whole purpose of Christmas lights." She said in an abruptly soft tone.

"It's a disgrace! It's a disgrace to my father, a disgrace to the DWMA; a disgrace to _symmetry!_" He wailed.

Liz sighed, patting Kid's shoulder. "You're gonna have a tough time when the tree's put up." She said regretfully.

"The tree?" Kid whispered, turning his head to stare.


	3. Mistletoe

"Come on Soul, just put this hat on instead of your boring headband." Maka pleaded, a firm edge entering her voice on her last word.

"That is the most _uncool_ thing I have seen in my life." Soul muttered, glaring at the fluffy hat in his Meister's hand.

"Just for this week, please! It matches your eyes." Maka said, trying to appeal to him.

"I don't want that _thing_ hanging off my blade when I turn into my weapon form." He growled. "It'll just get in the way."

"You heard what Lord Death said, no missions this week." Maka retorted, crossing her arms irritably.

Soul rolled his eyes, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I'm still not wearing it." He snapped. His eyes wandered, avoiding Maka's frowning ones, when they locked onto Sid. "Hey, can I have some help over here?" He called.

Sid turned and walked over, head tilted at an odd angle. "You know, when I was alive I was a man who loved festivities." He said fondly, grinning.

"Wait… is that a _bauble_ in your forehead?" Maka asked disbelievingly.

"Sure is! Just because I'm un-dead doesn't mean I can't celebrate." Sid said with as much joy as could fit into his voice, white eyes shining. He pulled out a bundle of mistletoe and hung it over their heads, darting off.

"No. No way. That is so uncool." Soul groaned.


	4. First Christmas

"I don't know how to deal with this!" Crona wailed weakly, staring at all the decorations hanging in the halls. "What are they doing? What does that mean?" He squeaked frantically.

"You dummy, it's Christmas!" Ragnarok mocked, tugging on Crona's hair.

"What? What's that and how do you know what it is?!" He asked in a panic.

"Calm down, idiot. Everyone puts on ugly hats, wears ugly sweaters and eats lots of food." Ragnarok explained rudely.

"_What?_ How do I deal with that?!"

"You really are annoying."

"That's mean! You're so mean!"

"Hey, Crona!" Maka called from down the hall.

Crona flinched, whirling around. "H-hey Maka," He stammered. "Hi Soul," He added nervously. "W-what's that hat you're wearing?"

"Don't ask about it." Soul growled, glaring sidelong at Maka.

"Are you two coming to the Christmas celebration tomorrow?" Maka asked, oblivious to Soul's vicious stare into the side of her head.

"W-what celebration?" Crona asked uneasily.

"Here, at the DWMA!" Maka said encouragingly. "There's gonna be Christmas food, and it'll be warm and great!"

"I- I guess…" Crona mumbled tentatively, eyes darting around frantically. "But I've never had Christmas before."

"You _haven't_? We'll help, won't we Soul!" Maka said happily, jabbing Soul with her elbow.

"Yeah, whatever," Soul muttered.

"Come on Crona, we'll tell you what it's all about." She said with a wide smile.


	5. Star of the Tree

"YAHOOOO!" Blackstar's shout echoed across the courtyard. He stood atop the tall conifer tree, apparently unfazed by the precarious swaying of the evergreen under his feet.

"Blackstar, be careful!" Tsubaki called concernedly from the ground far below. She clutched a portion of the coiled Christmas lights at her breast, staring wide-eyed at the tip of the tree. "We're supposed to be helping with decoration, not risking having the tree fall down!"

"_I'm_ the _star_, Tsubaki! Aren't I so awesome? Everyone can see me!" Blackstar hollered, excited jumping causing the tree to wobble.

Tsubaki looked around the near-empty courtyard, nervous. "Yes, Blackstar! Now please, come down and help!"

"I had a feeling he'd get up there." Stein muttered, rolling over to Tsubaki.

"Professor, he won't come down." She said nervously, hands gripping tighter on the lights.

"Oh he'll come down alright." Stein responded, nodding to the increasing movement of the conifer tip. "How long do you think it'll take?"

"Please don't say that." Tsubaki squeaked.

"Hey, Tsubaki, reckon I can do a handstand up here?" Blackstar shouted.

"I'll be in the infirmary if you need me." Stein said dryly, his desk chair rolling him away.


	6. Notice Me

Although usually schools would be closed during Christmas, the DWMA's doors were left wide open. Eventually the tree was covered with decorations, much to the dismay of Death the Kid. The patch of blood at the base was covered by present boxes, and when asked about the multiple bandages Blackstar simply raised his bruised hand with a loud "YAHOO!"

Crona stood nervously inside the hall, practically clinging to Maka. "I don't know how to deal with all this." He squeaked.

"Trust me, you'll be fine." She said reassuringly, smiling. Her pigtails held two small sprigs of holly, but otherwise she was relatively unadorned and in her usual garb. Red hats and varying styles of unattractive sweaters littered the crowd of students inside, hot cups of cocoa and a wide selection of warm food covering the tables. "You'll love it."

Further back in the hall, Spirit fixed his tie with one hand. In the other, he held a small present, tied closed with a red ribbon. "Oh man, Maka's _got_ to acknowledge me as her father once I give her this!" He said to himself excitedly.

Stein bumped into him, leaning casually over his chair. "What did you get her?" He asked in a low tone.

Spirit yelped, jumping away from his previous Meister. "It's just a book." He replied, his nonchalance betrayed by his increasingly nervous glances at Stein.

"Hiya! Happy Holidays everyone!" Lord Death called from the stage, a Christmas hat hanging off his head comically as he threw his ridiculous hands in the air. "I hope you're all having a _great_ time!"

"Yeah, if only Maka would actually _notice _me." Spirit muttered depressively, eyes to the floor.

"Maybe I need to cut you up to find out why she doesn't." Stein commented, his glasses reflecting the cheerful lights dangerously as a scalpel dropped out of his sleeve.

"No, I'll just go find her!" Spirit said hurriedly, darting off into the crowd.

"When I was alive, I would've found that almost cruel." Sid said dryly, standing next to Stein.

"Only way I can get him to do it."He said with a small smile.


	7. Chords

"Hey Soul, you play piano don't you?" Patty asked loudly, pointing to the large one in the corner.

"I'm not playing." He snapped, glaring. Paired with his hat, he was quite the sight. "Besides, no-one will like it."

"You could at least try." Kid said calmly, his previous anxiety apparently gone.

"Yeah Soul, it would be nice to hear you play again." Liz added.

Soul looked to Maka with something close to desperation, but all she did was smile at him.

"You're all so uncool." He growled, stalking over to the piano. His anger dissipated when he lifted the lid, tanned hands careful to not smack it into the body of the instrument. He sat down and the hall eventually silenced in anticipation, save for a few whispers. Careful to keep his playing calm, Soul pressed his fingers to the keys. He tried to keep the theme light, and slowly low talk commenced again.


	8. Bellyache

Blackstar could have been glued to the food table for the amount he consumed, oblivious to those around him.

"You're going to get a bellyache again, Blackstar." Tsubaki said warningly.

"I'm the great Blackstar, I don't _get_ bellyaches!" He responded loudly, laughing as he swallowed a mince pie whole. Another pastry was halfway into his mouth when he froze, eyes sliding to the door. His face contorted hideously, the food in his gloved hand unnoticed.

"What is it?" Tsubaki asked confusedly.

The white hat soon disappeared in the crowd, popping up again right in front of them. "Fool! Having a party but not inviting the holy sword Excalibur? How disgraceful!"

Blackstar looked down, expression scrunching further. "Oh, you're here." He said hoarsely.

"So you're Excalibur?" Tsubaki asked politely.

"Yes, young lady. Do you want to hear the legend of me, the holy sword?" Excalibur asked grandly.

"Don't fall for it." Blackstar murmured.

"Fool!" Excalibur snapped, cane knocking the pastry out of Blackstar's hand.

"Hey, I was gonna eat that!" He yelped.

"It was cold anyways." Excalibur said, smacking the butt of his cane to the ground. "Now, who would like to hear the tale of me?" He asked loudly. A wave of awed gasps followed his question, and he was soon consumed by the crowd.

Tsubaki's face contorted slightly, staring after him.


	9. Thanks

Crona blushed, staring at the envelope in Maka's hands. "That's for _me?_" He asked incredulously.

"Of course it is!" She said with a wide smile.

"B-but I d-don't have anything for you! I don't know how to d-deal with this!" Crona stammered.

"Don't worry about it." Maka responded.

Shakily Crona peeled open the envelope, pulling out the card from within. He blushed when Ragnarok laughed mockingly, reading over his shoulder. "Thanks." He said weakly.

Maka smiled, hugging him.

"I don't know how to deal with this…" Crona squeaked, standing stiff.

"What are you doing with my daughter?" Spirit said accusingly, looming over them.

Crona shrieked, squirming. "I swear sir I didn't do anything!"

Maka released Crona, glaring up at her father. "What do you want?" She snapped.

Spirit flinched, offering the wrapped present in his hands abruptly. "It's for you." He blurted.

"Thanks." Maka said flatly, half-heartedly plucking at the ribbon. Eventually she opened it, surprised at the thick book inside. Her eyes widened, carefully opening the front cover. "Thanks, dad," She said softly.

For the remainder of the week a handful of stalls still sat on the streets, desperately trying to sell the rest of their goods. The mornings were cold, so Death City was fairly quiet. Reheated cocoa was passed around as the DWMA hall was cleaned, decorations taken down in the corridors. The tree, on the other hand, stayed in the courtyard for several weeks; after all, the DWMA was far from your typical school.


End file.
